Far from the Tree

Parents, Children and the Search for Identity

By: Andrew Solomon

Narrated by: Andrew Solomon

Length: 40 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

National Book Critics Circle Award, Nonfiction, 2013

From the National Book Award-winning author of the "brave...deeply humane...open-minded, critically informed, and poetic" (The New York Times) The Noonday Demon, comes a game-changer of a book about the impact of extreme personal and cultural difference between parents and children.

A brilliant and utterly original thinker, Andrew Solomon's journey began from his experience of being the gay child of straight parents. He wondered how other families accommodate children who have a variety of differences: families of people who are deaf, who are dwarfs, who have Down syndrome, who have autism, who have schizophrenia, who have multiple severe disabilities, who are prodigies, who commit crimes, who are transgender. Bookended with Solomon's experiences as a son, and then later as a father, this book explores the old adage that says the apple doesn't fall far from the tree; instead some apples fall a couple of orchards away, some on the other side of the world.

In 12 sharply observed and moving chapters, Solomon describes individuals who have been heartbreaking victims of intense prejudice, but also stories of parents who have embraced their childrens' differences and tried to change the world's understanding of their conditions. Solomon's humanity, eloquence, and compassion give a voice to those people who are never heard. A riveting, powerful take on a major social issue, Far from the Tree offers far-reaching conclusions about new families, academia, and the way our culture addresses issues of illness and identity.

©2012 Andrew Solomon (P)2012 Simon & Schuster, Inc

Critic reviews

"In Far from the Tree, Andrew Solomon reminds us that nothing is more powerful in a child's development than the love of a parent. This remarkable new book introduces us to mothers and fathers across America - many in circumstances the rest of us can hardly imagine - who are making their children feel special, no matter what challenges come their way." (President Bill Clinton)

"This is one of the most extraordinary books I have read in recent times - brave, compassionate and astonishingly humane. Solomon approaches one of the oldest questions - how much are we defined by nature versus nurture? - and crafts from it a gripping narrative. Through his stories, told with such masterful delicacy and lucidity, we learn how different we all are, and how achingly similar. I could not put this book down." (Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies)

"An informative and moving book that raises profound issues regarding the nature of love, the value of human life, and the future of humanity." (Kirkus)

Loved it!

What an epic story of love, hope, despair, and the human capability for resilience. I loved every chapter and enjoyed the countless stories. It was difficult at first keeping track of the different people, though I soon learned to just listen and understand what was being said. Once I did that it was easy to enjoy. What a great journey! Thank you Solomon!

Amazing book

I want to buy this as a gift for everyone I know. Really great book.

it was a life experience

I experienced great growth as a person, I won't be or see people the same way again, it's been an eye opening experience, in which self acceptance took part and the understanding of love went deeper wider challenging Me to a better self,ñ. thanks Andrew.

great read

i literally was intrigued by all the interviews and experiences. i learned alot. it definitely opened up my mind to things i don't typically think about. i would listen again

Compelling Book

Amazing book. Despite it substantial length It holds your attention and you welcome the book to continue on. Narration by the author .makes it the best listen possible.

Excellent!

Any additional comments?
The author did a magnificent job all the way through research, writing and reading!

A must-read for everyone; above all, it should be made compulsory reading for all high-school students, worldwide, in order to make this world a better, a more tolerant place!!

exceptional

LONG and so worthy! As a teacher to students with special needs, this had great insight and compassion. GREAT read

WOW!!!

it took a few chapters to embrace but by the end I want to reread. thought provoking and illuminating.

Excellent listen/read, if a little uneven

Where does Far from the Tree rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the very best.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The sections on deafness and dwarfism are, by far, the strongest in the book.

Which character – as performed by Andrew Solomon – was your favorite?

Andrew Solomon was a peerless narrator for his own book because he could accurately reenact the dialogue from the interviews that make-up the book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

True happiness can come from parenting any and every child, and it always comes from the same source: when the parent stops seeing the child as a narcissistic extension of him- or herself

Any additional comments?

The book is separated into subject sections and some are excellent and some are much weaker. The sections on deafness and dwarfism, for instance, were so interesting I didn't want to do anything else but stay home and listen to them. However, the sections on musical prodigies was so thin and repetitive that I was tempted to skip around just to make it move faster. I would also like to add that, as a geneticist, I was sincerely impressed with both the authors grasp of the concepts and his ability to convey them to a non-expert.

A peek into deeply challenged lives

If you could sum up Far from the Tree in three words, what would they be?

Eye-opening, poignant, triumphant

What was one of the most memorable moments of Far from the Tree?

The forgiveness of a healthcare worker by parents whose MDS child who died because of a random careless act.

How could the performance have been better?

I believe a different narrator, not the author but a professional actor would elevate the experience of listening.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The question of correcting 'flaws' of nature in lieu of accepting a creature as created by God and by genetics, etc. creates a paradox with mixed feelings and a sense of knowing that either choice can be right or wrong but inevitably is irrevocable.

Any additional comments?

For parents and future parents because you never know if you will be a subject of such a book.